Ambidextrous abilities

In the fire service we are required to know the function and use of a plethora of tools and equipment. We are also required to use them in austere environments, under low light conditions, high heat areas, on rooftops, and in ditches. Often times we train with our tools in relatively difficult situations, therefore building our confidence that we can operate better on a real scene. But how often do we train on the tools we use everyday with the non-dominant hand?

There is something that happens to people when they are forced to do an everyday task with there lesser hand, some sort of disconnect occurs turning Dr.Jeckyll into some sort of cross eyed Mr.Hyde. We throw footballs straight into the dirt, write like a 4 year old, and swing a bat like were having a seizure. Sounds a little bit like some guys on scene...

When I was a kid my left eye began to shut down and my right eye took over. I started off life as an everything left hander but when my eye failed I was forced to learn most tasks right handed due to the fact that I had better vision on that side. I have since regained most vision in that eye but that ordeal left me in a sort of ambidextrous state. Writing, drawing, and eating left handed but shooting, throwing, and  sports right handed. Go figure. However my condition is not common and most people are not able to do even one thing with the opposite hand.

Heres the problem and how it relates to the fire service. Say were on a roof to vent and the only possible hole location forces you to switch to your lesser side. Do you feel comfortable operating a saw on a roof with say your left hand? What about an auto extrication? We all know about pinch points and how you never want to put yourself between the tool and the car. However, on occasion this can only be truly successful if we switch hands and change our stance. We just got a new rig at my station with the ladders stored inside, however the 24' extension is placed in such a way that to pull it out feet forward and "bed to head" you have to carry it on your left shoulder. I know for me even being left handed carrying and throwing a ladder on my left side is incredibly awkward.

There are a few simple ways to begin training yourself to be more comfortable working with your lesser hand. Small ways to start would be eating with said hand. This begins to train your hand/eye coordination in a controlled atmosphere, just maybe dont do this at the firehouse, you may look a tad ridiculous at first. One of the ways to practice when youre at work is when checking off the truck in the morning try all your check offs with the lesser hand. If you carry saws on the rig, set the choke and pull start it with the lesser hand. Pick it up and run it up while holding it the opposite way. Youll be surprised how uncomfortable you are with the torque of a K-12 when you arent using your dominant hand any longer. Even the extrication tools are good to train with, hook them up and open and close them then same way you would usually but exchange hand positions without setting them down. Also when you get out and pull lines, try placing them on the opposite shoulder and operating the nozzles backwards from usual. One thing I do when working out is sledgehammer strikes on a tractor tire, but I switch up the stance and hand grip I use to really perfect my swing no matter what side im on.

Once you get the swing of things try putting yourself in legitimate training scenarios in gear and operate  the way you would just with the other hand. Get on some roof props and cut some holes with an axe and saws switching up your grip and stance.

These things may be uncomfortable and awkward at first but constant training with the lesser hand will only make you more of a master of your craft and give you the confidence to know you can handle the tools of the trade no matter the position you are in. Not to mention giving yourself the ability to work with both hands essentially doubles your working ability and only improves your safety and the safety of those around you.

Remember the fire doesnt care where you are or if you are comfortable swinging an axe on your other side. The only way to build confidence is to practice ambidextrous operations in the everyday simple tasks. Get out and train and encourage others to do the same.

Tire tube helmet bands

So incase you havent noticed, Im the kind of guy who likes to make things myself. Not sure if I get it from my upbringing or the fact that im on a firemans salary and cant always afford to buy commercially made items, and I dont really see the sense in buying something I can make myself. The latest thing i've made around the house is a few helmet bands made from the tube of a tractor trailer tire. I figured i would include a few pictures of the process so you can give it a shot yourself. Or message me and ill mail you one of these.

First youll need to find a tube from a tractor trailer tire...Good luck. I asked around a few shops until I found someone who actually had one in their garage. But still any shop that does these tire changes is bound to have one or two blown tubes laying around. 

 The second thing youll need is a solid pair of scissors, I used a pair of North American Rescue trauma shears. In my opinion these are the best shears out there. Buy your own pair here.

 Find a ruler and mark out your lines at the desired width. Making sure to line up one end even. If you try and cut with the curve youll end up with something you dont want...trust me.  

You lose alot of material this way but you get a straight cut.

 You can only make a few at a time before your hand cramps up. But with a little help and some ingenuity you can make enough bands for your firehouse and then some. 

Not to mention, they kind of have a cool design to them...

2014 Perfection

I was reading this article on turnoutblog.com about the soldiers at the tomb of the unknown soldier, and it got me thinking. It got me thinking about the new year, where I have been, where I plan on going, training, goals, etc. But mostly had me thinking about training and how it relates to my job.

If you havent looked into what it takes to be a guard at the tomb of the unknown solider, I would recommend taking the time to do so. It made me really desire to visit the tomb one day and view first hand the changing of the guards.

There are so many lessons one can take away from the guards here, especially as it relates to the fire service. These guys are masters of their craft. They know the job inside and out, it means everything to them and they strive for perfection. Now we all know perfection cannot be achieved, as we see in the article I posted above, where one of the guards failed inspection. But this is one mistake out of tens and maybe hundreds of thousands of changeovers over the past 92 years. Have there been others? Sure, but they are so rare they are almost mythical.

These guys commit their lives to this job,  they commit everything they have to those 21 steps, those 21 seconds, and the changing of the guards presentation. They perfected it. Fewer than twenty percent of volunteers are chosen and only a fraction of those actually pass the rigorous training required to be a sentinel.

When it comes to our job, we train, we get dirty, we go back, shower up and rest. Are we actually "mastering" anything in that? Now I understand our job entails many more functions than the sentinels have to deal with while on guard, but what if we treated our riding position as our very own guard mat?   What if we took the handful of functions we are required to know for our seat on a first due fire and strived to perfect them? Is that possible?  No, because our job is ever changing and fires are never the same, but if we aimed to perfect a few specific tasks it would be safe to say we would become pretty dang good at it. Not perfect, but excellent. Just as the sentinels, while they appear so, arent perfect but have mastered the job they are expected to do.

If we put the time and effort this next year to mastering our craft as it relates to our riding position (while still keeping fresh on everything else), We could have an impact on the crew around us. And if one whole crew was striving to master the craft of their apparatus imagine the effect on scene it would have on a whole battalion, and if a battalion was striving...well...you get the point!

Just as only a few percent of soldiers make the cut to be a sentinel, so are there a few percent of firemen who are sold out to the job. But it starts with the few percent. Be a virus, infect the others with passion!

Always remember, we arent perfect, were human. We will never know it all, and when we think we do its time to go home.

"We will be relentless in our pursuit of perfection. We wont ever be perfect - but in the process we will achieve greatness."  -Vince Lombardi

Through the lock Channelocks

So the "through the lock" channel-locks have been around for some time now. With several slight variations to each handmade pair. All with the same purpose in mind, and that is to act as a set of pliers and at the same time acting as a key tool.

For my pair of pliers, I went the more fireman budget friendly route and recycled an old pair of pliers my grandpa had in his junkyard. Not only was I able to recycle an old tool and give it new life, but it means something more to me knowing my hero busted his knuckles with these pliers at some point in his life.

Most guys are getting the Channel lock brand because they are known for their durability and stout design. However I believe any pair will work. One word of advice though, and that is to measure your bunker pockets before getting yourself a pair. My set is rather long and I have a tough time fitting them in my pocket.

To make your own pair I would recommend following this step by step walkthrough from the guys at ironsandladders.com

I didnt follow the guide exactly but im quite content with the outcome. Especially considering the pliers themselves wouldnt even open when I first found them. When making mine I ground the tip down until it successfully manipulated the lock on my good friend Dave Werners' Through the lock prop

I finished my pair off with a spiral weave wrap of friction tape to increase grip when breaking the cylinder loose.

For a quick video demonstrating how these pliers are used check out this video from Nick Martin Pliers in use

Having a set of these pliers is a great addition to any set of bunker gear. It allows entry to storefronts with Adams Rite style locks while avoiding breaking large amounts of glass and creating excess ventilation areas. Also for alarms with no key or keyholder present the lock can be locked back and the cylinder screwed back in as a temporary fix.

The pliers when I first found them were so rusted they wouldnt even open. After a liberal soaking in WD-40, a little elbow grease and steel wool, they operate good as new.

Homemade door chocks

Door chocks are one of those items every firefighter needs to have on them, and more than one for that matter. I try and carry a few door chocks, cherry bomb style chocks, and two clamps...all with the same purpose, to hold various style doors open at any given time. However the basic wooden door chock is good for so much more, from vehicle extrication, gapping doors, and aiding in various forcible entry methods.

Being a fireman on a firemans salary, I try and make something myself before I go off and buy it. This always saves me money and also instills a little pride in what it is you now will carry.

For Christmas this year, I stopped by The Home Depot and picked up a scrap 2x4 for .80 cents, took it home, and with a few rough cuts of a skil saw, a piece of plastic made into a crude stencil, and some spray paint, I had enough door chocks for all three shifts to have 2 chocks a piece. Or 6 a piece if my shift is feeling greedy.

With thefirestore.com selling door chocks ranging in price from $2 to $15 a piece, all doing the same purpose, it just made sense to get my hands dirty and make 24 personalized chocks for about 3 cents a piece.

What are you making around the firehouse or at home today?

Merry Christmas from Priority Firefighting!

New tool wrap

Now we all know theres a thousand and one ways to wrap our tools out there. Everybody has a preference be it wrapped or unwrapped. Personally I prefer my tools wrapped, and I use a hockey style black friction tape, however after a little firehouse ingenuity my shift came up with a new way to wrap tools, well lets say a new material to wrap them in.

We had a roll of 3M High performance pavement marking tape lying around, primarily used for striping highways improving night-time visibility and wet road traction. Well as we all know Firemen always find second, third, fourth, and so on uses for almost anything. After a little deliberation we decided to try and wrap some tools and discovered we loved it as tool wrap.

The tape is designed to stick to asphalt with no prep work so its extremely adhesive, and really felt like it was going to stay put. It has raised squares that have a very rough feel to them but with gloves really has a solid grip. Also it is designed for visibility on the highway so with any light on it the tape really shines. Not to mention 3M gives it an 8 year life expectancy with highway driving, so its safe to say it will last 2 years in the hands of firemen. But seriously, this tape is tough.

The looks might not be for everyone, but finding a new use for something that actually works is always worth sharing.

If you have any new ways to wrap your tools feel free to share them!

Heat stroke LODDs in training and one personal near miss...

This blog has been on a standstill, due to two reasons. The main reason is i was very involved in school and the other being during school, i was recovering from a severe heat stroke i suffered in late august. I wasnt planning on writing about it, and i only will to an extent, due to personal feelings surrounding the incident itself regarding events leading up to it. However i saw this article today on firefighter nation and felt an immense connection with Captain Smith.

In late august of 2013, the temperatures were averaging 90-100 degrees on the South Carolina coast with a heat index exceeding far beyond that. I was involved in an intense training regiment similar to that of Captain Smith when during a morning run i suffered a heat stroke and became unresponsive. For  two days prior I had been in a state of heat exhaustion but continued to push through the training, in fear of losing my job, despite becoming ill secondary to the heat exhaustion. Water breaks were scarce and not at all readily available as the media made others believe. Full PPE worn all day along with non stop exercise in the heat had already caused several others to fall out and be transported for evaluation.

During the run, i dont remember much, what i do remember is telling my partner that something was wrong, and i noticed my respirations change to wheezing. Thats the last thing i recall. I collapsed 100 yards from the finish and I was immediately carried to the training facility and iced down by my peers (this is later learned from the ER physician was a major contributing factor that saved my life), then rapidly transported to the ER, where along the way became extremely combative, striking the ambulance crew and ripping out my IVs. I slipped back into an unconscious state and awoke roughly 3 hours later in the ER and had no ability to speak. I could think but not speak.

My temperature in the ER after rapid cooling, A/C, and two large bore IVs with cold fluids was 107 F. Doctors say i was most likely closer to 110 F at the time i collapsed. Far beyond the threshold for survival. All for what? Better training? I disagree...

Now this brings me to several incidents, all similar to mine

On May 19th, 2005, a 22 year old male career fire recruit collapsed during a class run, slipping into a coma with a temperature around 108 F and perished over a week later. This young man died on a 3 mile run, again for what? Someone please tell me...

You can read the NIOSH report here:

Florida recruit heatstroke NIOSH report

On April 20th, 2009, a 26 year old recruit suffers a heat stroke, begins to recover, suffers organ failure due to rhabdomyolosis, is put on life support and passes away days later.

Read the report here:

Texas recruit heatstroke NIOSH report

And again on September 16th, 2012 a four year veteran Fire Captain has a heatstroke during a smoke divers training program, goes into cardiac arrest with a temperature of 107.9, and never recovers.

Read the report here:

Texas captan heatstroke report

And the Firefighter nation article here:

Firefighter nation article

When i look at these incidents, i see three (almost four) deaths of our brothers directly due to training. Now i am all for intense, real world, training. But when we are killing our own, shouldnt we take a step back and figure things out? If we are in a situation where we are training in conditions to hot to stay safe arent we defeating the purpose? We go into a hot environment and as quickly as we can cool it down with suppression and ventilation. We come out and hopefully go to an established rehab per NFPA 1584 and OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120 requirement 1910.120(g)(5)(x), to cool down and rest after at most 30 minutes of strenuous activity. So why then, are we pushing our bodies (or having our bodies pushed) to the point of death for hours and hours on end? Tell me i am not alone in thinking this is lunacy? Not to mention, when we begin to hit the stage of heat exhaustion i can assure you, you arent learning anything new, you have flipped the switch from beneficial training to sheer survival.

The name of this blog is priority firefighting. Following the three firefighter priorities: Life safety, Incident stabilization, and Property conservation. Life safety refers to: Our safety, our crews safety, and then the citizens safety. To push others to the limit where life safety is in jeopardy is not only going against the grain of what we stand for but in some cases could and should be pursued in a criminal manner.

Our safety in these training evolutions falls in what i believe to be three hands: Yours, your instructors, and your peers.

Obviously you should keep yourself safe and as hydrated as possible, rumors surrounding my incident claimed i was "hopped up on energy drinks" and "not drinking enough water". Both of which are untrue. Hydration is of paramount importance and should not be taken lightly. If you arent feeling yourself and you honestly feel like something is wrong, something most likely is and you ned to act quickly.Your safety secondly falls in the hands of the instructors, training is great, but killing people to do so is the most asinine thing i can think of. Refusing water to students, and blatant disregard for heat index regulations is something that cannot be overlooked. Lastly your peers have somewhat of a responsibility. If you see one of your own with any of the signs or symptoms of heat exhaustion, make sure you take action before it progresses to heat stroke. As first responders we arent limited to the people that call 911, we are responsible for the ones around us. Preventing an injury is much better than having one occur that could have been stopped. These brothers gave their lives and you dont hear much about heat regulation in fire training. Why? Most likely because admitting heat illness as a fireman is a demeaning sign of weakness...but is it really? If we take precautions in the field, why dont we do the same to make sure we make it to the field?